Wire-fence pliers



Aug. 1s, 1925.

C. NEWMAN WIRE FENCE PME-Rs Filed June 2 1925 Patented Aug. 18, 17925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE NEWMAN, O'F STILLWA'TER, MINNESOTA.

WIRE-FENCE PLIERS.

Application filed .Tune 2, 1923. Serial' No. 642,984.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that l, CLARE-Non NEWMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Stillwater, in the county ofi/Vashington and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l/Vire- Fence Pliers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to pliers and particularly to pliers adapted to be used in connection with wire fencing and the staples holding the wires thereof. As is well known, wire fencing is now used in large quantities particularly in rural districts and a very common form` of fencing consists of longitudinally extending strands of wire secured to the spaced posts by staples and strands of lighter wire extending between said longitudinal strands. It is frequently necessary to tighten or otherwise repair this wire fencing when the same has become broken or damaged by cattle or from other causes.

It is an object of this invention to provide pliers by means of which the wire can readily be manipulated and by means of which staples may be drawn from the posts, no matter how deeply or tightly they are driven.

Another object of the invention is the provision of pliers having one of the jaws formed with a chisel edge extending substantially parallel to the axis of the pliers, pivot and having the cooperating jaw formed as a rounded tapering pointed member, said point being adapted to pass outside of said chiseled edge and to dig into the surface of the member in which the staple is drivenso as` to enter the bight of the staple.

rlhese and other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description madein connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to the same parts throughout the different views, and in which,

Fig, 1 is a view in side elevation of the pliers showing the manner of use thereof; Fig. 2 is a view in front elevation of the pliers showing a staple in vsection engaged thereby;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of part of the device illustrating the operation thereof; and

Fig. 4 isa view in elevation illustrating the use of the device.

Referring to the drawings, the pliers comprise reversely curved handle portions 1 and 2 having fiat disk-like portions 3 at one end adapted to overlap and which are connected by a pivot member 4. The disk portions 3 are formed with notches 5 at opposite sides thereof which, when the pliers are opened, are adapted to aline and receive a wire. The adjacent surfaces of the disks 3 are in quite close engagement so that when the pliers are closed, as shown in Fig. 1, the wire will be sheared off and severed by the adjacent edges of the slots 5. The handles 1 and 2 are provided adjacent the disks 3 with corrugated portions 6 adapted to form a suitable holding means for a wire. The outer end of handle 2 is formed with a comparatively long tapering point 7. At the side of the pivot 4 opposite the handles 1 and 2 the pliers are formed with opposing jaws 8 and 9. The jaw 8 is formed substantially upon the arc of a circle and tapers at its ends to a chisel edge 10 which extends entirely across the v jaw for the full width thereof, as shown in Fig. 2, and this edge is substantially parallel to the axis of the pivot member 4. The jaw 9 is circular in cross section and also formed substantially on the arc of a circle. The radius of the curve of jaw 9 is slightly greater than that of the jaw 8 and the end of jaw 9 is adapted to pass outside of the jaw 10. Said jaw 9 is formed with a long tapering point, as clearly s-hown in Figs. 1 and 2. One side of the jaw 8 is provided with a hammer face 13 which will be found very convenient for driving nails or staples.

It is often necessary or desirable in order to tighten the fencing or to connect a broken strand thereof, to lift or remove the staples which fasten the strands of wire to the fence post. The present pliers are particularly designed to facilitate this operation. In order to remove a staple, such as illustrated as 11 on the drawings in Fig. 3, which staple has been tightly driven into a post 12, to hold a wire 14, the edge 10 of the jaw 8 will be placed against one side of the staple and wire, asl illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, with the jaws of the pliers slightly open. lt is customary to drive the staples deep into the posts so that a por-tion of the wire sunk into the post and the outer surface thereof lies substantially flush with the outer surface of the post. The edge l0 being Wide cannot enter into the staple-but forms an abutment therefor. The pliers Will be disposed in a diagonal position, as shown in Fig. 4, and then closed from this position shown in Fig. l to that shown in lfig. l. The sharp rounded point of the jaw 9 digs into the surface of the post and enters the bight ofv the staple, the staple being prevented from moving away from said jaw by the edge l0. The jaw 9 thus having been well entered into the staple, the staple can readily be entirely lifted by merely rocking the pliers backward on the jaw 9. The staple is thus quickly and easily drawn and' is not bent or mutilated and can again be used for tightening the Wire 14, ln'building and repairing all kinds of Wire fences, replacing old broken posts and in removing the same for hog pastures, many staples are required. This is especially true of Woven Wire fences. It is very-necessary to have some sharp pointed device to force or drive into the post behind the Wire and staple in order to back the staple out Without injury to either the Wire or staples. The staples can thus be used again'and again. The present tool is especially suited for this purpose and performs the staple and Wire liftingl operation in a practically perfect manner. The tool thus relieves the operator of the necessity of carrying several tools. It is important that one side or jaw ofthe tool'be formedl with a Hat edge to act as an abutment. lf both jaws are pointed neither jaw can be made to dig into the post and pass suhiciently far into the staple. If the staple should be so deeply driven that it is difficult to engage the same with the-edge l0, the staple and Wire held thereby can be pried out somewhat by using the pointedfend ofV handle 2, When the saine can readily be drawn as before described. The Wire ofthe fence can be effectively engaged bythe'corru'gated portion 6 of the handles for pulling thereon and' the Wire can be cutk as desired by the notches 5.

From the above description it is seen that applicant has provided a very simple and efficient form of wire fence tool. The same forms a very convenient tool for drawing staples and the staples can be driven into place and the Wire variously manipulated by other portions of the tool. The tool may be easily and inexpensively made and marketed at a very reasonable price. The device has been amply demonstrated in actual use and found to be very successful and eflicient for the purpose had in view.

It will, of course, be understood, that various changes may be made in the form, details, arrangement and proportions of the device without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally sta-ted, cons-ists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above enumerated and such as described and set forth in the appended claims.

Nh-at is claimedl is:

l. A ivire fence pliers having operating handles` and having one jaw formed with a straight chiselv edge extending across the full Width thereof substantially parallel to the axis of .said pliers andadapted'to abut against the side of a driven staple and having another jaw formed substantially on the are of a circle, said latter jaw being'substantially circular in cross sectionand'having a tapered pointed end disposed centrally of said chisel edge adapted to pass outside thereof and'to overlap the same when the pliers are closed so as to dig into the surface in which said staple is driven anden ter the bight thereof While the staple is abutted by said chisel edge.

2. A Wire fence pliershaving operating handles and having one aw curved substantiallyv on the arc of a circle, said jaw` being substantially rectangular in radial cross section and formedivith a straight chisel edge extending entirely thereacross and parallel lto the axis of said'pliers, said'edge being adapted to abut against one side of a driven staple, said pliers having` another jaw formed substantially on the arc of' a circle of slightly .larger radius than the first mentioned jaw', said latterL jaw being substantiallyv circular in radial' cross section and formedivith a tapered pointed enddisposed centrally of saidchisel edge adapted to pass outside of and' overlap said'chisel 'edge when the pliers are closed whereby saidpointed e'ndwvilldig into the surface in Which said staple is driven and Will enter the bight of said staple While abutted by the other j aw.

In testimony Wh'ereof' I aHiX my signature.

CLARENCE NEWMAN. 

